The Voice of teh Maltese No. 103 by The Voice of the Maltese

The Voice of the Maltese (driven by the voice of its readers )

Issue 103

o on nlliin ne e m ma ag ga az ziin ne e

June 9, 2015

Malta commemorates 96th Anniversary of June 1919 riots

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat pays homage to the victims by laying a wreath at the monument

Malta has marked the 96th Anniversary of the tragic events that led to the June 7 (Sette Giugno) 1919 uprising during which four Maltese civilians were shot at and killed by the British troops. Malta recognises the anniversary of the riots as a national holiday and remembers Guzeppi Bajada, Manwel Attard, Wenzu Dyer, and Karmenu Abela who fell victims of the British bullets after taking part in the protests. In Malta the celebrations were held in front of the Sette Giugno Monument at Hastings garden in Valletta, while the Maltese community in Australia remembered the event at Civic Park Pendle Hill in NSW

-reports on pages 2, 3

Dr Anglu Farrugia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Malta delivering the commemorative speech infront of the Sette Giugno Monument

Simon Busuttil, the Leader of the Oposition laying a wreath at the foot of the monument

2 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

L-Irvellijiet tas-7 Giugno I

l-festa tas-7 ta’ Gunju (mag˙rufa ˙afna b˙ala s-Sette Giugno), hija fost l-aktar avvenimenti importanti fl-istorja ta’ Malta g˙ax hija marbuta mad-demokrazija parlamentari. F’dan il-jum fl-1919 il-©ens Malti ˙a l-ewwel pass fil©lieda biex jikseb id-dritt tieg˙u b˙ala nazzjon. G˙alhekk li din il-©rajja – jum nazzjonali - ti©i mfakkra b’pompa, kemm f’Malta u wkoll fi n˙awi o˙ra fejn hemm komunitajiet Maltin li g˙adhom jg˙oΩΩu l-wirt Malti, laktar fl-Awstralja, kif wie˙ed jista’ jara f’dawn il-pa©ni. G˙al darb’o˙ra, fil-jum tat-tifkira, f’Malta din issena wkoll, ˙ar©et l-importanza li lParlament Malti jag˙ti lill-©rajja. Hu g˙alhekk li ç-çerimonja tmexxiet milliSpeaker tal-Parlament, Dr An©lu Farrugia li f’diskors imqanqal g˙allokkaΩjoni qajjem g˙add ta’ punti, fosthom dwar fl-irvellijiet ta’ dakinhar. Dr. Farrugia qal li kien tal-mist˙ija li permezz ta’ st˙arrig li mexxew huma stess, il-˙akkiema IngliΩi ppruvaw ji©©ustifikaw l-g˙emil tag˙hom li wassal biex erba’ Maltin ji©u maqtula b’tiri mis-suldati IngliΩi. Il-vittmi kienu, Manwel Attard, ÌuΩeppi Bajada, Wenzu Dyer u Karmenu Abela. Quddiem g˙add ta’ mistednin distinti, fosthom il-membri Parlamentari, l-iSpeaker qal li bil-g˙ajnuna ta’ diversi riçerki li g˙amel hu u kittieba o˙ra, sab fatti nteressanti. Beda billi semma’ l-ewwel inkjesta dwar il©rajja li kienet ©iet ordnata mill-Qorti Militari IngliΩa, u li minnha jidher li l-awtoritajiet riedu ja˙irbu mir-reIl-Monument tas’ 7 ta’ Ìunju f’Hastings imΩejjen bilfjuri li tqieg˙du b’rispett fiç-çerimonja ta’ din is-sena

Il-Parlamentari u l-mistednin lo˙ra waqt iç-çerimonja f’Malta

sponsabbilta’. Kienu allegaw li lewwel tiri ©ew sparati mill-Maltin fuq is-suldati IngliΩi. Ûied jitkellem dwar ©rajjiet o˙ra li se˙˙ew dak iΩ-Ωmien u qal li minbarra li jidher li l-inkjesti li saru ma ˙ar©ux il-verità kollha dwar l-erba’ persuni li nqatlu u l-g˙exieren li sfaw feruti, biex jag˙mlu l-punt tag˙hom, l-IngliΩi riedu wkoll iwasslu l-messa©© li minflok, il-vittmi kienu dejjem huma. Dan jidher mill-proçeduri kontra g˙add ta’ Maltin li tressqu l-Qorti u ntbag˙tu l-˙abs wara r-rewwixta, sempliçement g˙ax waqt li kienu fil-kapitali Maltija Valletta fil-˙in tal-irvellijiet esprimew ru˙hom u qalu xi kliem. Qal li kien hemm diversi ra©unijiet g˙aliex kien hemm l-irvellijiet, fosthom il-prezz tal-˙obΩ li kien g˙ola bi tliet darbiet fi Ωmien qasir, u l-g˙oli fil-prezz tal-patata – li dda˙˙let f’Malta millIngliΩi - li fl-1919 kienet tifforma parti middieta tal-poplu, tant li g˙all-Maltin kienet mitqiesha b˙ala t-tieni ˙obΩa. Imma minbarra l-g˙oli fil-prezz tal-ikel, kien hemm ra©unijiet

96 sena wara o˙ra li setg˙u wasslu biex is-sitwazzjoni eskalat, b˙as-sensji lill-˙addiema. Fil-fatt, kienu qed jing˙ataw ˙afna sensji lill-˙addiema tat-Tarzna. Sa˙aq li dawk li tassew riedu progress politiku fost il-Maltin kienu l-Partit Laburista u dak Nazzjonalista. “Huwa veru wkoll li minkejja li kienu tra©edja g˙all-pajjiΩ, l-irvellijiet tas-Sette Giugno u l-avvenimenti li se˙˙ew b’konsegwenza tag˙hom, wasslu g˙all-Kostituzzjoni tas-SelfGovernment tal-1921.” Dr An©lu Farrugia għamel ukoll referenza g˙al talba li saritlu mill-Kumitat Festi Nazzjonali, biex il-Monument tas-7 ta’ Ìunju li jfakkar l-irvellijiet xog˙ol l-iskultur Anton Agius - li jinsab fil-©nien ta’ Hastings fil-belt, ma jibqax imwarrab f’dan il-©nien fejn kien ©ie rilokat b’mod temporanju. L-iSpeaker qal li jaqbel mal-proposta u hu tal-fehma li l-monument g˙andu ji©i mqieg˙ed qrib il-bini tal-Parlament il-©did “B’hekk ir-rabta intrinsika bejn ilmonument li jirrappreΩenta dak li qed nikkommemoraw illum, u l-Parlament Malti tkun riflessa wkoll b’mod fiΩiku u fid-deher.” Fiç-çerimonja ©ew imqieg˙da kuruni fuq il-monument b˙ala rispett lejn il-vittmi tas-Sette Giugno, fosthom mill-istess Speaker u l-kapijiet tal-Partiti ewlenin rappreΩentati filParlament, il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat, u l-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni Simon Busuttil.

The Voice of the Maltese 3

Tuesday June 9, 2015

A section of the crowd that attended the commemoration

The 1919 remembered T A Rose for hey came to the Maltese Bi Centennial Monument at Civic Park Pendle Hill NSW in their hundreds to remember the 96th anniversary, of the June 7, 1919 riots when the people of Malta stood up for their rights against a foreign power ruling over the islands at the time. It was a very moving and inspiring ceremony where a sense of unity and pride was evident. The dignitaries attending, underlines the respect and appreciation the Australian authorities have towards the Maltese. For the occasion, billed as a Rose for Sette Giugno, some 18 Maltese Associations paid tribute to the fallen of the uprising; the moments created were very poignant. The special guests led by Clr Greg Cummings the Mayor of the City of Holroyd and Lady Mayoress all came forward to pay their respects with a rose for Sette Giugno, at the foot of the monuments where the photographs of the four fallen heroes, Manuel Attard, Guzeppi Bajada, Carmelo Abela and

Sette Giugno

Lorenzo Dyer were clearly displayed. MPs Chris Bowen, Michelle Rowland and Dr Hugh McDermond, along with Clr Lisa Lake, Consul General Salvino Giusti, and others, followed. The ceremony commenced with the national anthems of Malta and Australia followed by a short welcome speech by the president of the Maltese Community Council of NSW, Lawrence Dimech praising the Holroyd City Council for the extensive renovation to the park and the area adjacent to the Maltese monument.

The Choir of the Maltese Cultural Association. In background some of the banners of the Maltese associations that took part

He said that the 1919 uprising had ignited the fire for the long struggle for independence and the Republic of Malta. The keynote speech was eloquently delivered by Rhys Sullivan, a 14-year-old student of Maltese descent from Penrith High School explaining in explicit terms the hardship that prompted the uprising and the complicated background at the time. Casey Eamer, a student from the Maltese Language School at Horsley Park read a special message that was sent for the occasion by the President of the Republic of Malta, HE Marie-Louis Colerio-Preca, in which she explained the path that led the Maltese people from being ruled to a democratic nation that determines its own destiny. The ceremony was given a more lively side by the voices of the Choir of the MCA of NSW under the direction of Marisa Previtera. Jim Borg acted as MC while Fr Noel Bianco (MSSP) delivered the prayer and mentioned the role Mons Guzeppi Depiro, the founding father of the MSSP played on that fatal day 96 years ago. A large contingent from the Maltese SubBranch of the RSL also took part. Eric Rizzo from the OLQOP Band played the Last Post. Emmanuel Camilleri ably coordinated the event.

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4 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

The Voice is here to stay! W

e always get readers, pushing us to keep promoting our island of birth, Malta. These readers are not only Maltese-Australian (those we initially aimed for when we established this online magazine). There are also others who decided to make their future in some other country and became, Anglo-Maltese, CanadianMaltese or US-Maltese. While we are proud of our past and what the Voice’s family has accomplished together, our eyes are fixed on the years to come - both for journalism and for our modest global community of readers. To that end, we also try to shine a light on causes for which we believe meaningful strides can be made in years to come including ensuring that the Maltese Diaspora is given the importance it deserves. As The Voice of the Maltese increases its readership, we recognise that the magazine has now even become the favourite read of most of those of Maltese descent – even some who have never been to the island - and others who just love Malta for what it is and try to get their hands on any information about our tiny but beautiful island before visiting it. We get so many emails from readers of our magazine who have been tempted to visit Malta after reading about it here and make it a point to be au courant (fully informed) with all that is happening in Malta. They not only accept whatever we publish, but always ask for more. They also seek our advice personally. That is why it is our intention to increase our dose of Malta. Subscribers in the UK and Canada particularly have made us aware that they don’t just read the magazine themselves but they also share it with friends of theirs, some of Maltese origin but also with locals who could be interested.

Joseph Cutajar A case in point is Mr. Dan Brock, a historian by profession. He is not Maltese but is in charge of the MalteseCanadian Club of London (Ontario) Newsletter. He is a regular reader of The Voice, but not only. He told us that as soon as receives the magazine, “I then send it out to our Club members and to non-members of the Maltese Canadian community whom I know who live in London and area. “This accounts for more than 100 mailings. I like to send it out to them directly and I look upon this as service of our club in promoting the Maltese culture and in encouraging members of the Maltese Canadian community in this area to be members. “Most of the Maltese Canadians in this area are not members, owing to age, bitterness in the past, lack of interest and other interests by the younger set, etc.” From the UK, one of our staunchest supporters is Frank Camilleri. He also spreads the magazine around. “After showing The Voice of the Maltese to friends of mine, who are always keen to read anything Maltese, partic-

ularly not often found on the Internet or newspapers, we have established a team of four and formed a kind of network between the four of us. “Each and every time we receive the magazine we have our own email addresses we send it to. They are both Maltese living out here and also a number of British readers whom we know love Malta. Some of them are crazy about the island and have visited Malt a number of times. They remain prospective tourists. We know they appreciate receiving the online magazine. “Between us four we email it to around 450 Internet users. I also know that some of them even print out hard copies to hand to a few old people who are not computer-literate or find it easier to read it printed. “Roughly, I think that between us four, we can count on about 550-600 people in the UK who are avid readers of the magazine...and the number keeps growing. Some of them even share it with their friends. “By the feedback we get, we can honestly say that you are doing a really great job.” Therefore, so long as our readers want it, The Voice of the Maltese online magazine is here to stay!

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The Voice of the Maltese 5

Tuesday June 9, 2015 In line with what we have said on the previous page, The Voice of the Maltese is reproducing this article about Malta’s most popular fastest food, The pastizzi, written by Shawn Micallef, a second-generation half-Maltese kid growing up in Canada that

was first published on Canada's largest daily newspaper, The Toronto Star. Recently, Shawn also released his first book, a 300 plus page guide to Toronto titled: Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto.

Toronto’s Little Malta gives me second-generation immigrant guilt The city’s Maltese population has mostly moved on from the Junction’s Malta Village, dispersing throughout the GTA. Shawn Micallef, a second-generation half-Maltese kid, feels a little guilty about not visiting the area more often.

ittle Italy. Chinatown. Gerrard India Bazaar. Koreatown. Little Ethiopia. Toronto is a city of ethnic clusters that are celebrated for their miniature recreations of the “old country.” It’s a permanent Carousel of Nations, but for immigrant communities that largely arrived a generation or more ago, the corresponding population in the surrounding neighbourhood often has moved elsewhere in the city. Left behind are the ethnic strips concentrated around restaurants, cultural centres, and places of worship. In the Junction neighbourhood along Dundas St. W. there’s Malta Village; it too has seen most of the local Maltese population disperse throughout the GTA. Still, they come back to attend mass at St. Paul the Apostle church on Sundays or pick up some pastizzi, Malta’s savoury pastry, at the Malta Bake Shop. I’ve always called the neighbourhood Little Malta instead of Malta Village, amused by the irony of a little version of a place that is quite little itself. As a second-generation half-Maltese

Malta’s most popular fast food, il-pastizzi

Shawn Micallef kid growing up in Canada, it was a physical connection to an ancestral homeland. Like most Maltese, I’m proud that the wee Mediterranean island nation commands such a presence on Dundas, punching above its size and weight. I also feel guilty, though. I don’t go to Little Malta much. In fact, I probably visit Malta itself more than I frequent the Maltese establishments on Dundas. I don’t make it to the Malta Bake Shop unless I’m taking a friend for a first visit. I don’t drink at the Maltese Canadian Society of Toronto (established 1922) and I’m not a member of the Melita Soccer Club (Melita being the allegorical figure representing Malta). I don’t even go to the Maltese travel agency, the one with a picture of an Air Malta plane in the window, to buy my ticket to Malta. Little Malta is on the other side of town from where I live, but that’s not a good excuse; I travel around to other places further afield routinely. Toronto is a city with many scenes and near-endless distractions though, all vying for attention. And my “Malteseness,” if that’s a thing, is just part of my identity here as a Canadian, although an important part. Being a member of a Diaspora is sometimes a disconnected experience for second-generation immigrants, a kind of shadow citizenship, of being of another place without actually being from there. Some people learned traditional folk dances as kids; others keep the old recipes alive at home.

Shawn Micallef Unlike myself, second-generation people who speak the language might have the deepest connection. The Maltese, perhaps due to a shared British colonial heritage, have assimilated so deeply into Canadian culture that I’m often surprised when people I’ve known for years tell me they’re Maltese. Cultures blend and change naturally, that’s fine, but still the guilt remains. Maybe the ethnic commercial strips are as much for everyone else as the ethnic group itself and are a symbolic public presence marking who has arrived here, though I’m sure shop owners would rather that bond be a little stronger and visitations a little more frequent. This summer, Heritage Toronto will be unveiling a plaque dedicated to the Maltese community here. That may help renew the bond. I should go to Little Malta more, I often think, but that resolve crumbles as the rest of Toronto distracts me. Maybe more people of non-Maltese descent should visit to help alleviate my guilt. Buy a plane ticket. Go to confession at St. Paul’s. Have a picnic in Malta Park. Perhaps pastizzi will become a trendy food like fish tacos or Cronuts and everybody will flock to the Malta Bake Shop. I hope so. The second-generation guilt can get heavy at times.

6 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015 Ninu Bugeja has created 43 detailed handmade model buses

Model maker ensuring that Malta’s buses legacy lives on F

or the past 36 years retired bus driver Ninu Bugeja has devoted hours every day creating 43 detailed handmade model buses. A fully-fledged public transport museum may be still merely a dream, but in a quiet street in Tarxien, retired bus driver, 65-year-old Ninu Bugeja has set about creating the next best thing. Ninu, who spent 36 years as a bus driver, told The Times of Malta, that carried an interesting feature about him, “This is my life.” Mr Bugeja has devoted hours every day for the past 36 years to creating his models, which include 43 detailed handmade models showcasing the entire colourful history of Malta’s buses, ranging from an 1856 Omnibus to an Arriva-era King Long, taking in the many beloved and grumbled-about green and orange specimens in between. Mr Bugeja builds his models, some as big as four feet in length, entirely from scratch over some eight months, constructing everything from the seats to the wheels out of hard cardboard. Each one is a perfectly accurate representation of an existing bus at a specific moment in its history, from its seats and registration plate to the colour and the route, many reflecting a time when buses were painted in different colours according to the route they served.

Moreover, as Mr Bugeja himself worked as a bus driver for 20 years, many of the models carry the added significance of having actually belonged to friends and relatives over the years. He says that uses a book for research but he can still remember all the details by heart. Mr Bugeja also proudly displays a model of the bus he once called his own – bought for him by his father, with whom he had previously worked selling bread from a cart in Qormi. “I used to keep parts for the bus in my garage,” he recalls. “I’d work from 5.30am to 11pm, and then spend my Ninu Bugeja with his model buses

weekends fixing it up. My sister even used to help me wash it. Drivers today can’t do that.” Today, Mr Bugeja laments the passing of that lifestyle, but even more, the actual buses that have, by and large, been lost. Flicking through a book of photographs showing the iconic decorations that once adorned the interiors, he told TOM: “Some are still ‘alive’ but most have been scrapped. It’s such a pity they didn’t keep one of each. We’ve lost a big part of our culture. I’m still in love with them. Don’t bother showing me a new Mercedes... just give me one of Photos: Jason Borg these.”

The Voice of the Maltese 7

Tuesday June 9, 2015

The record-breaking flower arrangement

A record for MHS!

Floral arrangement with 4,775 roses O

ne of the most popular activities by the Malta Horticultural Society (MHS) is its annual festival of flowers, the spring show at San Anton Gardens that this year was organised in May. This year’s event was unique as the society managed a National Record and to

Malta President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca (right) presenting a memento to Mrs Eizabeth Dawn Weaver

Gabriel Ebejer

be listed in the Malta List of Records when it succeeded in its attempt to form a large floral arrangement made up entirely of 4775 roses. In the record-breaking arrangement, the MHS made use of 125 different types of roses. The idea of this record was the brainchild of the Society’s PRO, Gabriel Ebejer who worked incessantly hard to bring it to fruition. He told The Voice of the Maltese that “it was like assembling a difficult jigsaw puzzle,” as they had to contact a great amount of foreign rose growers to send them the flowers, the freight handlers and to also organise the logistics to see to it that the live roses arrived safely and on time for the show. Sixteen Kenyan Rose Nurseries, Farms and Growers kindly accepted the MHS’s invitation to take part in this venture by donating hundreds of roses and ensuring that all their donations arrived on schedule at the Nairobi airport, which was a feat in itself. “So this warrants our grateful thanks to these donors,” Gabriel said. But there were also a number of sponsors who heavily supported this ambitious project, including the financial help of Mr. Leo Brincat, the Minister for Environment, Sustainable Development, and Climate Change, Dr. Owen Bonnici, the Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, the Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing Dr. Justyne Caruana Parl. Sec. Dr. Justine Caruana, the Malta Tourism Authority and Minister Joe Mizzi, who made San Anton Gardens available for the society to host its annual show. To acquire the roses is one thing, but mounting them into an artistic arrangement is another. That was left to Mrs. Elizabeth Dawn Weaver, an accomplished floral artist from UK, and gold medallist in last year’s Chelsea Flower Show who volunteered to come to Malta and take up this challenge aided by her husband and MHS committee members.

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Tuesday June 9, 2015

Have your say/Xi trid tghid? Your letters/ L-ittri tag˙kom ...

The Voice of the Maltese

Pleasantly surprised at Malta’s achievements

on nlliin ne e m ma ag ga az ziin ne e o

Mario Cassar, Spring Hill, Queensland

is is a bi-lingual (in English and Maltese) fortnightly online publication specifically targeting all Maltese living abroad with emphasis on the Australian scene. is online magazine is sent via email by request. Subscription is free. Editors: Malta: Joseph Cutajar Australia: Lawrence Dimech: MOM, OAM, JP email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com

t is most satisfying to see tiny Malta do so well on the world’s stage. Without wanting to enter into politics, one cannot but express satisfaction that in just two years since the new administration took the reigns of the country in hand, it is completely changing the way foreigners look at it.

Letters for publication in The Voice either in Maltese or English should be e-mailed to: maltesevoice@gmail.com.

Now you can also join us on facebook: https://www.facebook. com/groups/thevoiceofthemaltese

The Opera House and the Chalet

Philip Paul Bonnici from Casula NSW writes: et me take this opportunity to congratulate you and your staff. The Voice of the Maltese is a publication rich in general information. One can only imagine how much work goes into it to gather all the news, edit and publish. Congratulations on a job well done. I wish to comment about the article in the last issue about the former Chalet and Teatru Rjal in Malta. Re the Royal Opera House (as it was known), sometimes one wonders whether rebuilding and maintaining such a treasure can justify the money outlay. Re the Chalet, it would have been better if the Maltese Government totally got rid of what's left instead of leaving it as it is. It looks like a neglected graveyard It is an eyesore.

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I am pleasantly surprised particularly to read that Malta is luring so much foreign investment to the island. But perhaps even more satisfying the fact that even the Maltese entrepreneurs who are the backbone of the tourism industry, to name just one sector, has so much faith in the future of island. I am most impressed particularly with the announcement (reported in the last issue of The Voice) that the Corinthia Group, a Maltese entity, is planning an extension to its hotels by injecting €400 million in the Maltese economy with the creation of a six-star complex. The tourist industry in Malta is cergtainly flourishing. I left Malta in the sixties because of lack of employment opportunities. If the current opportunities were existed in those days, I for one would never have left the island I love so much. No wonder the employment figures at the present time in Malta are so low and the country is even attracting many foreigner workers to fill up job vacancies that cannot be filled by locals. During a visit I made to Malta to meet my remaining relatives I was impressed not only that so many tourists are making the trek to Malta but more so by the number of foreigners working in catering establishments. The only disappointment is, that almost none of these workers can speak the Maltese language; some cannot even speak in English. I therefore suggest that before employing such people, mostly young ones, they are first given crash courses in Maltese, or at least in the English language, which is also an official language in Malta.

Il-lezzjonijiet dwar l-Ilsien Malti Mario Griscti minn Malta jikteb:

˙eΩieΩ Joseph u Lawrence, niΩΩikom G ˙ajr minn qalbi ta’ The Voice of the Maltese ˙ar©a Nru 102 (26 ta’ Mejju). Mala˙barijiet kontemporanji u artikli stupendi, komplu ag˙tuna l-lezzjonijiet dwar l-Ilsien u l-grammatika Maltija kif qed tag˙mlu.

The Voice of the Maltese 9

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Aktar dwar il-problemi tal-vapur Hard to believe minn St Albans, Victoria Skaubryn minn min kien fuqu PeterirstlyVassallo thanks for reproducing important ith reference to the article about Although I was only 10 at the time, I still Fextracts of the budget for 2015 in the last issue of the magazine. Going through

the sinking of MS Skaubryn in 1958 that was published in The Voice of the Maltese No. 102, Mr Joe Galea from NSW who says he was on the MS Skaubryn when it encountered problems to its propeller, has written in to correct some “inaccuracies”. It is certainly most interesting to read the information first hand from somebody who was on the scene. However, we have to point out that the information in the article by Joe R. Scicluna was certainly checked for accuracy before it was printed so we had no doubt as to its accuracy. It was taken from very reliable sources that have also been indicated to Mr. Galea. This is Mr. Galea’s version of the way he remembers the day the MS Skaubryn encountered the propeller problem. “It was in 1955 when the Skaubryn broke the propeller. It did not come off; it was one of the blade's that broke off. It occurred during the monsoon season two days after we left Colombo in the middle of the Indian Ocean. There was a lot more that happened on that trip, than the ship just breaking its propeller. The provisions had run out, included water. The hot temper of some of the Maltese on board reached boiling point and they threatened to throw the Maltese official overboard as they wanted the ship to turn back to Colombo and fix its problem there. If my memory serves me right, the Maltese official in charge was called, either Mr Saliba or Mr Mercieca. We kept on sailing to Fremantle, averaging only 9 knots an hour, because one of the propellers was out of balance. In Melbourne we changed ship in order to finish our journey in Sydney. The trip took us nearly six weeks to complete.

remember the trip like it was only yesterday.” In further correspondence with the author of the article about the Skaubryn, Mr Galea added: “All I can say is, that someone is talking about another ship. I can't see how a propeller that weighs about three tons could be put on a ship's shaft in the middle of the Indian Ocean and in the middle of a monsoon. “The Skaubryn came to Australia on three occasions. In 1952 it had trouble retrieving the anchor; during my trip in 1955 a blade broke off one of the propellers, and in 1958 it caught fire and sunk.” That was the fate of the Skaubryn!

the budget presented by the Abbott government recently, I still don’t feel that confident that things could improve for those low wage earners, or for the whole population for that matter. I believe that many of the figures presented by Joe Hockey are more speculative and far from reality. I have my doubts that our living standards would improve and come next year, most of what the treasurer is proposing now would fail, so he will repeat them again in the 2016 budget. Sometimes it makes me wonder if the politicians really mean what they say in budget speeches.

Way Malta dealing with migrants makes me proud to be Maltese Michael Borg minn Balmoral, NSW jikteb:

have been following what has been happening in the Mediterranean about migrants crossing from North Africa into Europe. Firstly I feel I should say that in Europe they are certainly more conscious of these poor people’s plight than us over here in Australia with those trying to cross over from poor countries in Asia. I feel so sorry for Malta, Italy, Greece and Spain who are taking in the bulk of these migrants and sharing the responsibility, (not the burden as some politicians sometimes describe it) of this great weight as they try to give some semblance of a life to these people whose resources were initially stolen by the multinationals and countries like the USA, Britain, Italy,

France and Germany. One hopes that a problem shared is a problem solved. By reason some of these giant countries should shoulder the responsibility, but not little Malta. However, despite this Malta is dong its part, along with Italy especially, and the two have managed to put the plight of the migrants on top of the European Union and the United Nations’ agenda. The way Malta is dealing with it makes me proud to be Maltese. It is amply clear that size does not count for anything in such circumstances and what matters most is the stature of the statesman. I believe that though Malta’s Prime Minister is among the youngest of leaders in Europe he has managed to be among the leading players and his views are not only heard but also acted upon as we have seen.

10 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Perspettiva Riflessjonijiet ta’ Wog A version of this series in English may be found in the author's blog at: http://www.ivancauchi. blogspot.com

kitba ta’

IVAN CAUCHI

emm ilni l-Awstralja kelli l-isfortuna li nitlef lil tliet zijiet li joqog˙du hawn, kollha b'varjazzjoni tal-marda qerrieda tal-kançer. Dan la˙˙ar kont qed nitkellem dwar ziju g˙aΩiΩ minnhom, Nick, ma' ku©ina tieg˙i, u f'daqqa wa˙da ftakart f'xi ˙a©a li kien qalli l-istess sena li kont wasalt f'dan il-pajjiΩ. Konna qed niddiskutu l-istatus tal-immigranti f'dan il-pajjiΩ. Jien dakinhar kelli viΩa ta' residenza temporanja u staqsejtu meta kien ©ab iç-çittadinanza Awstraljana, li kien be˙siebni napplika g˙aliha. B'sorpriΩa, qalli li hu ma kienx çittadin Awstraljan, imma kellu biss residenza permanenti. Jien assumejt li kien hemm xi impediment biex i©ib iç-çittadinanza, imma kompla jg˙idli li hu kien eli©ibbli g˙aliha, imma ma kellu l-ebda intenzjoni li japplika g˙aliha. Mistag˙©eb, staqsejtu g˙aliex. It-twe©iba kienet li f'˙ajtu, tant ra, sema' u bata diskriminazzjoni b˙ala wog tul l-g˙exieren ta' snin li g˙amel f'Melbourne, minn nies 'Awstraljani' tal-post, li ma ried bl-ebda mod jing˙aqad mag˙hom. Skont id-definizjoni dawn kollha wogs, Il-kelma wog fl-Awstralja tintuΩa g˙al imma whud jeg˙lbu l-espressjoni ntiΩa stran©ier, speçjalment xi ˙add li mhux ta' biex twe©©a’ billi jiççajtaw biha fuq videos karna©©jon abjad (Anglo-Sassonu) u g˙alhekk tintuΩa ma' nies ta' nisel Meditterranju (inkluΩ il-Maltin), na˙at u bir-ritaljazzjoni g˙alihom, in-nies li n©abru kienu pretal-Lvant Nofsani, Asjatiku u o˙rajn. dominantement bojod, ixejru l-bandiera Awstraljana, joffendu Il-karatteristika primarja ta' din il-kelma hija l-konnotazzjoni lill-wogs u jattakkaw lil kull min kien jidher li hu mil-Lvant Nofderogatorja li fiha tintuΩa. sani. G˙adni niftakar x'dieqa ˙assejt meta smajt dan il-kliem, l-aktar Dan l-avveniment, li seta' spiçça anke ag˙ar, id-diskursata ma' u l-aktar g˙aliex jien nikkwalifika b˙ala wog xejn inqas minnu. zijuwi u l-esperjenza tieg˙i wassluni biex ninteba˙ li hemm kurBqajt niftakru 'l quddiem meta jien ukoll beda jkolli xi esperjenzi rent fin ta' razziΩmu li jeΩisti f'dan il-pajjiΩ, disgrazzjatament. Ilta' dan it-tip, g˙alkemm çertament mhux bl-intensità jew bil-frek- kelma wog hija simili g˙all-kelma nigger li (kienet) tintuΩa wenza li kien ˙asshom zijuwi. fl-Istati Uniti, fl-istess kuntest derogatorju abbaΩi ta' razza, u g˙alG˙all-grazzja t'Alla rrid inΩid li ˙add s'issa g˙adu ma uΩa dik hekk huwa razziΩmu. il-kelma fil-konfront tieg˙i, imma nista' ng˙id li l-kuntest derogaMeta kont Malta, dan ir-razziΩmu kont in˙ossu meta xi Maltin torju ˙assejtu. kienu jitkellmu dwar ir-refu©jati fil-pajjiΩ, l-hekk imsej˙a immiPer eΩempju, fuq ix-xog˙ol ©ejt f'sitwazzjonijiet fejn qed nid- granti illegali, u dwar in-nies li joqog˙du fit-tlett ibliet - Bormla, diskuti xi rapport, u jekk ninnota xi diskrepanza u nipprova nara l-Isla u l-Birgu. Jien kont na˙seb li fl-Awstralja, il-pajjiΩ multijekk hux qed nifhem ˙aΩin jew forsi hemm xi Ωball fil-matem- kulturali li jilqa' fih, u nbena bis-sa˙˙a ta' tant nies tal-post atika, mallewwel kien ikolli daqqa fil-wiçç (metaforika) li g˙andi (abori©eni), immigranti u refu©jati (il-bqija), din il-problema sempliçement naççetta dak li ng˙atajt, attitudni li ma kontx nara kienet ©eneralment meg˙luba. Kont sejjer Ωball. meta xi ˙add ie˙or, Awstraljan tal-post, kien jag˙mel l-istess Id-dispjaçir tieg˙i hu ikbar meta ninnota li ˙afna minn dawk li ˙a©a. xi darba kienu jissej˙u wogs u g˙exu g˙al g˙exieren ta' snin Naf ukoll xi ˙add li, g˙al Ωmien pjuttost twil kien ja˙dem f'am- hawnhekk (inkluΩ xi kompatrijotti Maltin), spiççaw biex saru talbjent fejn persuna o˙ra, Anglo Sassona, li kellha influenza fuq post, insew kif kienu j˙ossuhom meta kienu minn ta˙t, u illum ix-xog˙ol kienet isseksek u tivvinta stejjer dwaru minn wara daru i˙arsu lejn, jitkellmu fuq, u jittrattaw lill-wogs il-©odda bl-istess ma' min kien qed imexxi, u kien jag˙mel dan dwar kull min mod derogatorju. jikkwalifika b˙ala wog, g˙alkemm qatt ma uΩa din il-kelma. F'Malta, minn xi daqqiet issib attitudni b˙al din dwar il-Libjani, Nista' ng˙id li g˙al ˙afna xhur din il-persuna g˙amlitlu ˙ajtu in- u forsi s-SudaniΩi. Hawn fl-Awstralja, illum dan jg˙odd g˙alfern u kkawΩatlu biΩa kontinwu li qieg˙ed fuq l-g˙atba li jitkeçça. LebaniΩi (li jintuΩa b˙ala ewfemiΩmu g˙al kull min jidher li hu Is-sitwazzjoni inbidlet biss meta kollega qabeΩ g˙alih u l-affari- mill-Lvant Nofsani) u l-Asjatiçi. jiet inbidlu. Kull grupp etniku jkollu xi tuffie˙a m˙assra, imma hemm xi Madwar l-istess Ωmien li kelli dik it-ta˙dita ma' zijuwi, kien gruppi li g˙al xi ra©uni, l-iΩball ta' wie˙ed mill-grupp huwa prova hemm l-irvellijiet ta' Cronulla fl-2005, fejn tensjoni bejn gruppi tal-˙tija tal-grupp kollu. Na˙seb li ta' min ma ng˙a©©lux u nitfg˙u Ωg˙ar ta' LebaniΩi u o˙rajn bojod kiber drammatikament fi Ωmien lil kul˙add f'keffa wa˙da. ta' ftit sig˙at, messa©©i ntbag˙tu bil-mobajl biex nies jin©abru arIs-sens ta' ©ustizzja jitlob li min jag˙mel Ωball i˙allas tieg˙u, mati u sar ©lied fit-toroq hemmhekk u l-madwar. imma min m'g˙amilx m'g˙andux ikun ikkundannat mieg˙u. G˙alkemm kien hemm inçidenti serji pprovokati miΩ-Ωew© Fejn mar il-fair go li nifta˙ru bih?

The Voice of the Maltese 11

Tuesday June 9, 20155

Tifkiriet ta’ tfulitna (1)

’din l-era teknolo©ika u di©itali ˙adt m’g˙andu g˙ax je˙odha bi kbira li l-©enerazzjoni ta’ b˙alissa lanqas qatt tista’ mqar to˙lom b’xi affarijiet, pereΩempju ©ugarelli, li fl-img˙oddi t-tfal konna nilag˙bu bihom. Fil-fatt b˙alissa anke jekk biss tiftakar fihom jaqbdek id-da˙k, u tistaqsi liek, imma veru?. Illum se nsemmi ftit minnhom. Xi ˙aga li kienet taffaxxinana b˙ala tfal, u li meta llum t˙ares lura donnu li lanqas tista’ tifhem g˙aliex konna nie˙du gost biha u mhux tant façli li tispjegaha, hija speçi ta’ skuter, imma li ma tirkbux (Ara stampa 1). Dan ©ugarell li kien kapaçi jag˙mlu kull tifel bla ma jistenna lil xi ˙add kbir jag˙milulu. Kull ma trid kien biss injama rqiqa twil xi metru jew ftit aktar - jiddependi mit-tul tat-tifel - u Ωew© injamiiet o˙ra qosra, b’wa˙da sservi ta’ fus u l-o˙ra ta’ “tmun”, u Ωew© roti. G˙ar-roti, fil-fus li konna nwa˙˙lu b’xi vit u nillaxkawh biex ikun jista’ jiççaqlaq, jew konna nsibu xi rukkell, naqtg˙ulu t-truf tieg˙u biex in©ibuhom Ωew© roti, inkella nie˙du xi roti minn ta’ xi premm tal-log˙ob li kienet tkun ©iet skartata, jew forsi nitolbu lil xi mastrudaxxa jag˙mlilna tnejn. Il-biçça g˙uda Ωg˙ira l-o˙ra konna nwa˙˙luha n-na˙a ta’ fuq, ukoll b’xi vit u nillaxkawha biex inkunu nistg˙u ndawwruha. F’kull tarf ta’ dak li qed insej˙ulu “tmun” konna norbtu spaga u norbtuha wkoll mal-fus biex stajna ndawwruh kif indawwru “t-tmun”. Konna wkoll inΩejnu dan l-ispag mill-fus sat-tmun fuq iΩ-Ωew© na˙at b’xi bandieri Ωg˙ar tal-karti kkuluriti maqtug˙a f’forma triangulari. Dal-©ugarell konna mmexxuh billi

Ara biex ko nna nilag hbu! hbu! hbu Joseph Cutajar nimbuttah. Ìieli konna anke ntellqu billi nimbuttawh kemm distanza rridu. Na˙seb li rnexxieli nispjegah u tistg˙u tifhmu g˙aliex meta n˙ares lura b˙alissa ng˙id li ma nafx g˙aliex konna nqisuh ©ugarell importanti.

Il-boççi fost l-aktar popolari Ìugarell ie˙or popolari kellu x’jaqsam mal-log˙ob tal-boççi li tant konna nie˙du gost in©emmg˙u. DaΩ-Ωmien g˙adek issib minn dawn il-boççi tal-˙©ie© tant ikkuluriti imma ftit jilag˙bu bihom L-aktar log˙ba popolari kienet li l-ewwel nifthemu g˙al kemm se nilag˙bu (g˙al-tnejn, tlieta jew aktar), imbag˙ad inpo©©uhom f’ringiela bi ftit spazju bejniethom, u skont kemm ikun hemm boççi konna nag˙mlu passi ‘l bog˙od minnhom biex wara li naqtg˙u min se jibda, nilag˙bu fuqhom b’boçç’o˙ra. Aktar ma jkun hemm boççi aktar irridu mmorru ‘l bog˙od. Kif wie˙ed jolqot xi boçça jew aktar u je˙odha, ta’ warajh jersaq aktar qrib billi jg˙mel passi skont kemm naqsu boççi. Dak li tolqot tie˙u. Bil-boççi konna nilag˙bu wkoll dik li konna nsej˙ulha d-“da˙la”. L-ewwel konna nsibu biçça art raffa ta’ daqs xi metru jew tnejn kwadri. Aktar ma jkun fiha ˙ofor tant l-a˙jar. B˙al dejjem konna naqtg˙u min se jibda u wara li jag˙mel xi passi ‘l bog˙od,dan kien jitfa’ l-boçça f’post li ja˙seb li jkun l-aktar diffiçli li tintlaqat. Ta’ warajh kienu jilg˙ab fuq il-boçça billi jgaraw fuqha. Jekkj olqotha je˙odha. Jekk ma tolqotiex ilboççi jibqg˙u hemm u jilg˙ab min imissu. Min ma jolqotx, ilboçça tieg˙u tibqa’ hemm. Imbag˙ad ta’ warajh, min jirnexxielu jolqot l-ewwel boçça jie˙u kollox hu. U˙ud kienu j©ibu xi boçça tal-˙adid, minn

dawk li wie˙ed kien isib f’dawk ir-roti li konna nafuhom tal-borrejs (li wie˙ed g˙adu jsibhom f’çertu makkinarju) u jgaraw biha, ©ieli bis-sa˙˙a, tant li ©ieli jkissru l-boçça li jkunu garaw fuqha. Xi ha©’o˙ra bl-boççi kienet li xi ˙add mit-tfal kien isib kaxxa tal-kartun iebes, inkella xi biçça njama u fuq ilfaççata konna naqtg˙u xi ˙ames jew sitt toqob Ωg˙ar kemm tg˙addi boçça. Fuq kull wa˙da jinkiteb numru millwie˙ed sal-˙amsa jew sitta. (Ara stampa 2 fuq ix-xellug) Min ikun irid jilg˙ab kien jipprova jg˙addi l-boçça g˙al xi toqba. Jekk jirnexxielu jirba˙ boççi skont in-numru. Itihomlu ta’ min tkun il-kaxxa . Bejn toqba u o˙ra kien ikun hemm linjam jifred g˙alhekk mhux daqshekk façli li ssib it-toqba. Hekk li ˙afna drabi l-boçça kienet ta˙bat mal-injam. Li ma jid˙olx fit-toqob jie˙du ta’ min tkun il-kaxxa. Óafna drabi ta’ min tkun il-kaxxa kien jispiçça minn fuq imbag˙ad jie˙u gost jg˙odd il-boççi li reba˙.

(Darb’o˙ra nittrattaw xi log˙ob ie˙or.)

12 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Roundup of News About Malta Dr Joseph Muscat adMalta's unemployment rate dressing the SPD Conference in Berlin second lowest in eurozone

uropean Commission statistic shows that in April, Malta had the second lowest unemployment rate in the eurozone, 5.7%, along with Austria and Luxembourg. It also observed that on average, between March 2008 and March 2013, Malta’s unemployment rate was 6.5%, compared to 4.8% in Austria and 4.9% in Luxembourg. The biggest improvement was in youth unemployment, down to 11% from 14% in the last quarter of last year.

600 caught abusing of social benefits

ast year, a total 592 people were caught abusing of social benefits last year, to the tune of €3,831,983, Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia said replying to a parliamentary question.

Jos. Muscat claims Europe made progress in its refugee policy but needs to do more A

ddressing a Social Democratic Party conference on refugee policy in Berlin, Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat explained Malta’s role in helping the European Commission to come to terms with the refugees’ situation in the Mediterranean and in devising a plan that gives particular importance to strengthening the cooperation with African countries of origin and transit by intensifying dialogue through the existing processes. He said Malta has historically been at the forefront of calling for the launching of solidarity measures with a view to assisting Member States in difficulty, and promised that Malta would continue to play its part by hosting a Summit between the EU and African partners in the coming months. “This will be a particularly important event that brings together countries of origin of migrants, as well as countries of transit and destination,” he said. He also pointed at stabilising Libya as another crucial step in preventing further loss of life at sea. “That is why it has become even more urgent for the international community to help stabilise Libya by supporting a mediation process to achieve a political agreement around a Government of National Unity.” He firmly believes that the progress made in Europe in the last weeks, with finally a concrete set of immediate measures as well as a number of medium and long term initiatives put forward by the Commission, are a step in the right direction, and are a clear first sign that Europe does not only show solidarity in financial and economic crisis, but that it can also respond when human

lives are at risk and when countries struggling to give hope to migrants are in need. But, he added, “Much more needs to be done if we want to truly achieve a consistent and effective EU migration policy which balances protection and prevention.” He said that Malta welcomed the mechanism that triggers an emergency response and kicks in a relocation programme, which may be used in case of emergency such as in the case of Italy and Greece. The European Commission proposes to relocate in total 40 000 applicants in clear need of international protection, and under a quota mechanism unveiled by the EC as part of a wider plan of action, Malta will

be allocated 138 immigrants. Dr Muscat admitted that populists might argue Malta has carried enough burden over the years and therefore should refuse the Commission proposals by means of which Malta must now take some of the refugees, rather than refugees taken from it, however, he stressed that the government was arguing to the contrary. “It is unfortunate that this proposal did not come when we needed it most but we will take our share to prove that we do not think European solidarity is a concept we advocate when it suits us. Furthermore, if there is a crisis that hits us in the future, we expect the same treatment,” he said.

Commonwealth People's Forum Launched T

he Commonwealth People’s Forum, a joint venture of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2015 Malta Taskforce and the Commonwealth Foundation has just been launched in the presence of Dr. Helena Dalli, Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties. The Forum, that takes place on November 23-26, shortly before the Queen, the Prince of Wales and 52 heads of government join Malta’s Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, for a three-day summit, will give a chance for representatives of civil society from across the Commonwealth to share ideas and engage with government leaders. Also present for the launch were, Jacqueline Micallef Grimaud, who chairs the People’s Forum Sub-Committee and Sir Anand Satyanand, the former Governor General of

New Zealand, who chairs the Commonwealth Foundation. Dr Dalli said that the Commonwealth People’s Forum would be debating the theme ‘What makes societies resilient?’ with civil society organisations expected to highlight the fact that resilience can be a strategy for sustainable development if it draws on civic assets such as participation, diversity and innovation. “It seems only natural that Malta, as the promoter of the resilience discourse of many years standing, is a protagonist in the developments played out during the Commonwealth People’s Forum 2015. We pledge our commitment to strengthen civil society, not only by exchanging good practices but, above all, by listening to and learning from our Commonwealth counterparts,” Dr Dalli said.

The Voice of the Maltese 13

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Roundup of News About Malta

NCFHE chairman confirms standards for AUM high

he chairman of the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE), Martin Scicluna (left) has confirmed that standards of accreditation for universities in Malta would in no way be reduced to accommodate the planned new American University of Malta. He was responding to criticism and reports that the Nationalist Party was going to challenge the new legal notice in parliament because it lowered standards and was only aimed at facilitating the Jordanian investors Sadeen Group’s university. He said it was 'absolute canard' to say that the quality criteria had been reduced in any shape or form. The government has also been criticised that the authorities had issued a legal notice just days after the announcement of the investment was made. Mr Scicluna said that the notice had been in discussion for the past few months and it was only a coincidence that it was published when the American University application was announced. He added that the legal notice only touched the criteria for institutions to be eligible to apply for university status, and did not compromise the quality of education in Malta. The NCFHE is a go-between for government and higher education institutions, taking on suggestions and recommendations from stakeholders, while addressing concerns in this sector. It also oversees the implementation of the national Qualifications Framework and qualification recognition.

Tonio Fenech appointed first chairman of CAPC

onio Fenech has been appointed as the first chairman of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committee. Dr Anglu Farrugia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives who also addressed the delegates at the Parliament of Malta congratulated the Nationalist MP and thanked all those who

participated in the workshop and hailed as a milestone the experience of having members from various Parliaments serving on the Public Accounts Committees of their respective countries working together for the establishment and operation of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts.

Passenger numbers at MIA reach new high igures just released indicate that in the last year, and the percentage of filled seats F month of May just ended, Malta Inter- on each flight (seat load factor) increased national Airport (MIA) welcomed a record from 76.4 per cent to 79 per cent in 2015.

number of 441,943 passengers, which is an increase of 9.9 per cent in passenger traffic over the same month last year. The figure is also higher than the passenger numbers registered in the August peak of 2011 (427,575 passengers). The airport’s busy summer schedule includes two new routes to Helsinki and Warsaw, five new airlines and a number of additional frequencies when compared to last year. MIA CEO Alan Borg said that May’s traffic growth is in part the result of additional routes and airlines that are connecting Malta’s airport to more parts of the world. He went on to say that Summer also seems to have come early on a number of their more traditional routes, which saw record passengers for this time of year. “This shows that our collaborated efforts with Government and the Malta Tourism Authority to continue to reduce the seasonality of our tourism market are working,” Mr. Borg said. Aircraft movements and seat capacity increased by 6.3 per cent when compared to

In May traffic from Germany rose by 32.1 per cent as a result of Cruise and Fly operations starting two months ahead of last year. Excellent results were also registered from Italy, with a growth of 15.4 per cent. However, the UK remains Malta’s largest tourism market, up by 1.5 per cent over the same month last year. Compared to last year’s figures, in the first five months of this year, MIA hosted a total of 1,528,241 passengers, an increase of 6.5 per cent

NP appoints its first female secretary general

he Nationalist Party is now in line with the Labour Party when it comes to the person occupying the important position of secretary general of the party. The party’s executive elected Rosette Thake (pictured above) for the post. Now the two main political parties have a women occupying the position after the Labour Party took the step in February five years ago by choosing Dr Lydia Abela for the position. Rosette Thake, 47, has been elected to succeed Chris Said. She was uncontested and managed to get 70 votes of the 74 cast by the party’s executive. She thus becomes the first woman to occupy the position. Addressing the members after the election, Ms Thake, who had been involved within the NP for the past two years, pledged to continue working to strengthen the NP’s structures and the party’s communication. Party leader Simon Busuttil said this was now the time for the NP to position itself as an alternative to the Labour government. Now the two main political parties have a women

PM’s wife to make Gozo-Malta swim for charity rs. Michelle Muscat, the Prime Minis- Qali pool as well as in the open sea. M ter’s wife and chairman of the Special Olympics athletes will join Mrs Marigold Foundation, will be swimming Muscat in the swim at Comino.

across the channel between Gozo and Malta on July 27 to raise funds for the Marigold Foundation and Special Olympics Malta. Launching the activity, Mrs Muscat said that although she is not an athlete she is full of courage to do the swim. As such, for the past months she has been training at the Ta’

The Marigold Foundation offers support to organisations to further their work within the community. Part of the funds to be raised will used to help cover the costs of the Special Olympic participants when they take part in the World Summer Games in Los Angeles in July.

14 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

MiΩ-Ûonqor g˙al Mater Dei! L

e ˙add ma we©©a’ Ω-Ûonqor u spiçça Mater Dei, iΩda fejn fil-©img˙at li g˙addew l-midja u d-diskussjoni fil-GΩejjer Maltin kienu kwaΩi g˙al kollox dwar iΩ-Ûonqor u lUniversita’ Amerikana ta’ Malta, bil-mod il-mod l-attenzjoni qed tintefa’ fuq l-bini tal-Isptar Mater Dei. Matul il-©img˙a li g˙addiet ˙are© ir-rapport tal-inkjesta taleks-im˙allef, Dr Philip Sciberras, dwar il-bini tal-isptar Mater Dei, liema rapport kixef ˙afna nuqqasijiet li saru meta kien qed jinbena dan l-Isptar, fosthom li erbg˙a minn kull ˙ames testijiet li saru fuq il-konkrit ta’ dan l-Isptar kienu mbg˙absa. Issemmew ukoll diversi nuqqasijiet o˙ra li wasslu biex is-sa˙˙a tal-konkrit tkun ferm inqas b’sa˙˙itha milli suppost. Dejjem intqal li l-isptar kien mibni biex anke jirreΩisti filkaΩ li jsir xi terremot. Sintendi, malli ˙are© ir-rapport qamet polemika s˙i˙a. Dawk li b’xi mod, anke remot, kellhom x’jaqsmu mal-pro©ett, fosthom ilpolitiçi, bdew jaraw kif ifarfru r-responsabbilta’ u jitfg˙u l-˙tija fuq ˙addie˙or. Insomma kif jg˙id il-Malti: ‘˙add mhu hu”. Fuq quddiemnett minn dawk li wΩaw l-ixkupilja kien hemm ilpolitiçi. PereΩempju lill-OppoΩizzjoni kellha diversi reazzjonijiet. Fil-bidu l-Kap tal-PN sostna li hu l-Ministru ta’ b˙alissa responsabbli u jrid jara kif jag˙mel tajjeb. Qabel ©ie svelat ir-rapport talinkjesta, l-istess OppoΩizzjoni tefg˙et dubju dwar kemm ir-rapport kien se jkun wie˙ed indipendenti billi iben l-eks-Im˙allef Sciberras, kien g˙en b’xi mod f’din l-inkjesta. IΩΩeffen ukoll leks Ministru Dalli li meta kien qed jinbena l-isptar kien Ministru tas-Sa˙˙a fil-Gvern Nazzjonalista (g˙alkemm kien hemm Ministri tas-Sa˙˙a o˙ra li fi Ωmienhom kien qed jinbena lIsptar – sintendi g˙ax dan dam jinbena 17-il sena). Imma, bla dubju li politikament kien jaqbel li jissemma Dalli, billi fl-a˙˙ar snin ma tantx(!!!) kien mi©jub mill-PN, u biex tag˙qad mal-bidla fil-Gvern, ilPrim Ministru Muscat sa˙ansitra po©©ieh konsulent dwar ir-reorganizazzjoni tas-servizzi filMater Dei. G˙alhekk, bl-implikazzjoni ta’ Dalli, il-PN ˙aseb li

seta’ jinvolvi lill-Gvern preΩenti fl-iskandlu. Dalli nnifsu ˙are© jinnega li kellu xi sehem fit-tbag˙bis li sar. Sostna li fuq kollox dak li sar kien approvat mill-Kabinett Nazzjonalista ta’ dak iΩ-Ωmien, bl-eks-Prim Lawrence Gonzi jg˙id li l-Kabinett ma kienx ra l-ftehim li kien sar mad-Ditta Skanska li kienet inkarigata mill-bini. F’dan il-kuntratt jidher li hemm klawsola li mad-daqqa t’g˙ajn setg˙et teΩonora lil Skanska, u dawk li kellhom x’jaqsmu malbini, milli jag˙mlu tajjeb g˙all˙sarat li jinstabu f’din il-binja. Imma hawn ukoll qamet polemika s˙i˙a g˙ax kien hemm min sostna li din il-klawsola ma ΩΩommx lill-Gvern milli jfittex lil min hu responsabbli g˙al xi nuqqasijiet. Sa˙ansitra kien hemm min akkuΩa lill-Gvern li kien qed jikkwota din il-klawsola biex jiddefendi xi kuntratturi li kienu qrib tieg˙u. Óalliha l-polemika dwar l-bini talIpliet, Universita’ Amerikana komg˙alkemm, kif g˙edt

li mbag˙ad kien hemm min ©ibed l-attenzjoni g˙all-fatt li din il-klawsola di©a` ©iet uΩata midDitta Skanska biex ma ˙allsitx g˙ad-difetti strutturali li kienu nstabu fil-©ibjun tal-istess sptar snin ilu. Sintendi l-kwestjoni spiççat

f’ballun politiku bil-Partit Nazzjonalista jixli lill-Gvern li dan kollu tqajjem biex il-gvern idawwar l-attenzjoni tal-poplu minn fuq il-kwestjoni tal-g˙aΩla taΩ-Ûonqor Point biex tinbena lUniversita’ Amerikana. Min-na˙a tieg˙u l-Gvern u lPartit Laburista qed jinsistu dwar il-˙tie©a li dawk kollha li kienu responabbli g˙al dak li se˙˙ g˙andhom iwie©bu. Il-Partit Nazzjonalista qed jaqbel dwar dan iΩda jidher li jrid jillimita’ r-responsabbilta’ g˙al Skanska, il-kuntratturi, dawk li pprovdew il-konkrit, u dawk li b’xi mod kellhom x’jaqsmu malbini tal-Isptar, iΩda qed jevita’ jsemmi r-responsabbilta’ politika, xi ˙a©a li qed jag˙mel emfasi dwarha l-Partit Laburista. U, b˙al ma g˙amilt fl-a˙˙ar ˙ar©a, il-mistoqsija dejjem tibqa’: Wara kollox min se jag˙mel tajjeb g˙all-ispejjeΩ me˙tie©a biex isiru t-tiswijiet me˙tie©a, madwar €35 miljun?.

Marlene Farrugia milqug˙a b’bewsa mill-kap tal-OppoΩizzjoi fil-protesta

... u l-Universita`

m’g˙adx qed tiddomina g˙al kollox il-midja Maltija. Jidher ukoll li l-Partit Nazzjonalista qed jibdel t-tattika tieg˙u f’din il-kwestjoni, g˙ax fejn qabel ˙are© qatta bla ˙abel dwar l-g˙aΩla taΩ-Ûonqor b˙ala l-post fejn g˙andha tinbena l-Universita`, il-Kap tal-OppoΩizzjoni, kelliema tal-PN u l-©urnali li jappo©©jaw lill-PN qed isemmu aktar ilkwestjoni tal-validita’ ta’ din l-Universita’... dwar xi standard se jkollha. Aktar u aktar billi propju meta t˙abbret din l-Universita’ sar xi tibdil fl-AvviΩi tal-Gvern (Government Notice) li jirregola it-twaqqif ta’ univesitajiet f’Malta. Fil-fatt l-OppoΩizzjoni qed tg˙id li dan l-AvviΩ qed iwaqqa’ l-livell tal-universita’. Il- Gvern u l-Awtoritajiet invo-

luti qed jg˙idu li dan mhux minnu. Xi kummentaturi jsostnu li jista’ jkun li ilbidla fit-tattika tal-PN saret wara li l-konkorrenza min-na˙a tal-poplu g˙all-protesta li dan il-Partit organizza fl-in˙awi taΩ-Ûonqor, kienet ferm inqas milli stennew. Nistg˙u ng˙idu li dak li seraq ix-xena dakinhar, ma kinetx il-folla jew il-mexxej Nazzjoanlista, imma d-deputata Laburista, Marlene Farrugia li ng˙aqdet mal-protesta u sa˙ansitra ndirizzat lill-folla preΩenti birriΩultat li fil-©urnali t-titli ewlenin ma kienux dwar il-protesta, imma dwar sehem ta’ din iddeputata fil-protesta.

*ikompli f’pa©na 15

The Voice of the Maltese 15

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Mix-xena tal-˙ajja Maltija 2

Ma kienetx Banana!!! tibt hekk mhux g˙ax xi ˙add rifes xi K qoxra ta’ banana u Ωelaq, fil-fatt din il-banana kienet tal-plastik, allura bla qoxra u ma tiΩloqx. Din banana kbira li tintefa˙. Kienet wa˙da minn g˙add ta’ banana li kienu qed i©orru l-partitarji tat-tim talfutbol ta’ Birkirkara waqt u wara l-log˙ba tal-FA Trophy kontra Hibernians u li ©iet mirbu˙a minn Birkirkara. Fi tmiem il-log˙ba xi partitarji KarkariΩi dahlu fil-grawnd u nqala’ l-inkwiet malpartitarji tal-Hibernians. Intervjeniet ilpulizija u arrestat xi nies, fosthom wie˙ed li l-pulizija ressqitu l-Qorti u xlietu li fi tmiem il-log˙ba da˙al fil-piçç u xe˙et banana tal-plastik lejn il-partitarji tal-Hibs. Skont il-pulizja l-g˙emil wassal biex jinqala’ l-©lied bejn il-partitarji. Itella’ lQorti u nghata l-libertá proviΩorja fuq garanzija ta’ €2500 bil-kundizzjoni li ma’ jersaqx lejn ebda stadjum fejn issir attivitá sportiva sakemm il-kaΩ ikun deçiΩ.

Studenti barranin fi skejjel Maltin K

ulma jmur l-g˙add ta’ studenti barranin fil-GΩejjer Maltin qed jiΩdied. Dan jirriΩulta f’Ωieda ta’ studenti fl-iskejjel, l-aktar f’dawk tal-Istat. Fl-2013 fl-iskejjel Maltin kien hemm 530 studenti migranti; fis-sena skolastika 2013-2015 dawn telg˙u g˙al 1,484. Minn Ottubru tas-sena l-o˙ra sa April li g˙adda, lg˙add issokta jikber u la˙aq l-1,857 student. L-akbar ammont ta' studenti migranti minn pajjiΩi barra mill-Unjoni Ewropea ©ejjin milLibja, s-Sirja u s-Serbja, fil-waqt li l-akbar ammont ta’ dawk minn pajjiΩi Ewropej huwa mir-Renju Unit, l-Italja, il-Bulgarija u r-Rumanija. Insibu studenti barranin kawΩi f’kull skola, iΩda bla dubju li l-akbar g˙add huwa fl-in˙awi ta’ Tas-Sliema, San Ìiljan u l-lokalitajiet tal-madwar, San Pawl-il Ba˙ar u Wied-il-G˙ajn. Sa˙ansitra f’xi skejjel partikulari l-perçentwal ta’ studenti barranin qabeΩ it-30%. Ta’ min jg˙id li ˙afna minn dawn l-istudenti li jattendu fl-Iskejjel tal-Istat mhux talli ma j˙allsux miΩati biex jattendu l-iskola, iΩda jing˙ataw ukoll il-kotba, il-˙alib, eçç, kif ukoll is-servizzi kollha li ji©u offruti lil studenti Maltin, b’xejn. Fost dawk li jikkwalifikaw g˙al dawn is-servizzi b’xejn, hemm it-tfal ta’ ©enituri li ©ejjin minn pajjiΩi tal-Unjoni Ewropea, u dawk (u dawn m’humiex ftit) li g˙al xi ra©uni jew o˙ra ji©u eΩentati milli j˙allsu l-miΩati tal-iskola u allura jikkwalifikaw ukoll biex jing˙ataw ilkotba, eçç b’xejn. Min˙abba dan l-influs qawwi ta’ studenti barranin, fl-iskejjel Maltin l-g˙alliema qed ikollhom jag˙tu l-lezzjonijiet b’ta˙lita ta’ Malti u IngliΩ. Dan huwa piΩ fuq l-g˙alliema. IΩda l-akbar problema hi fejn listudenti la jafu bil-Malti u lanqas bl-IngliΩ. Tfal b˙al dawn ji©u offruti crash course tal-IngliΩ biex ikunu jistg˙u bil-mod il-mod jintegraw ma s˙abhom tal-klassi. PROFESSIONAL FREIGHT SERVICES PTY. LTD. Melbourne: (03) 9335 2499

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16 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

A quick glimpse at Australia

Australia accused of shirking international responsibility he first refugees - three Iranians T and one Rohingya - to be resettled in Cambodia from the Australian detention centre on Nauru have arrived in Phnom Penh. They were the only people to volunteer for the controversial scheme after Cambodia last year agreed to take in refugees rejected by Australia in return for A$40m in aid. Australia does not allow asylum seekers or refugees onto its shores, instead detaining them at facilities on the island nation of Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Rights groups who have accused Australia of shirking international responsibility by not taking in refugees, estimate that about 677 detainees are being held on Nauru, sometimes in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The four refugees who arrived on a

The refugees are seen arriving in Cambodia for resettlement on Thursday commercial flight have asked for their services, health services and employprivacy to be protected and did not ment services. Australia is also providing funds to the IOM as part of the speak to media. The group deal. has transferThe UN has spoken out against the red to tempo- resettlement agreement and Camborary accommo- dia has, in previous years, been criti“Australia has a terrible rep- dation in Phn- cised for its own record on helping utation for dealing with cli- om Penh, whe- refugees. Cambodia is one of the poormate change at international re the IOM will est countries in the world. Phil Robertson, from Human Rights level. Australia has torn begin to provide essential Watch said, “These four refugees are esdown carbon pricing scheme, in- sentially human guinea pigs in an Auswhich was hailed as a tem- support, plate for the rest of the world, cluding lan- tralian experiment that ignores the fact and still pushing to make guage training, that Cambodia has not integrated other Australia the first country to cultural and refugees and has already sent Montagreduce its renewable energy social orienta- nards and Uighur asylum seekers back tion, education into harm's way in Vietnam and China.” targets” The Abbot government insists that its climate policies especially its $2.55 billion direct action scheme to pay polluters to reduce emissions is Gay marriage in Australia is a ing same-sex marriage in a hisan effective substitute for car- matter for the federal parlia- toric referendum. ment rather than a popular “I don't think anyone's sugbon pricing.

Paris and Malta for PM Abbott? here is still some doubt T about PM Tony Abbott’s attendance at crucial climate summit in Paris later this year. However, he is expected to be in Malta for the Commonwealth Head of Government (CHOGM) Meeting to be held in November 27-29. The Paris summit is to hammer out a new global treaty that starts on November 30th. Mr Abbott attended the previous CHOGOM gathering in November 2013 in Sri Lanka. Greens climate spokeswoman Larissa Waters said,

Parliament is to decide on same-sex marriages vote, Tony Abbott believes. Nevertheless some MPs, including from Abbott’s own back bench, are pushing for a referendum after Ireland voted overhelmingly in favour of allow-

gesting that the constitution needs to be changed in this respect. It's up to members of parliament who are eager for change to decide whether they want to bring it forward,” Mr. Abbott said. Labor's policy is to allow conscience votes on the issue but deputy leader Tanya Plibersek wants the party's national conference in July to bind MPs to vote in favour of gay marriage. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said, “Time for Australia and our Parliament to embrace marriage equality, the matter was one for parliament to resolve”.

The Voice of the Maltese 17

Tuesday June 9, 2015

A quick glimpse at Australia

Cardinal Pell and the paedophiles

fter giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutionalised Sexual Abuse, David Ridsdale was interviewed on a TV Night show and said that Cardinal George Pell former Archbishop of Sydney and now serving at the Vatican tried to buy his silence when he told the cardinal he had been abused at Ballarat in 1970 by his uncle, notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale.

“Cardinal Pell was a bully, a bully is what he is. They thought they could bully me. And so many men have lost their lives because of their inaction,” he said. Cardinal Pell has rejected David Ridsdale's allegations under oath and publicly on a number of occasions, and repeated his denial again after Mr. Ridsdale's testimony. “I was and remain extremely sympathetic to David Ridsdale who, because of his uncle, suffered horrible abuse,” Cardinal Pell said in a statement. “I continue to regret the misunderstanding between us. “At no time did I attempt to bribe David Ridsdale or his family or offer any financial inducements for him to be silent. “At the time of our discussion the police were already aware of allegations against Gerald Ridsdale and were investigating. “Then, and now, I supported these police investigations. I have previously made a sworn denial of these allegations and I re-

iterate that denial.” A member of the Pontifical Commission for the protection of Minors called on Pope Francis to fire Cardinal Pell over allegations David Ridsdale the cleric helped cover up paedophile activities in Australia. He called Pell “a dangerous individual.” Cardinal Pell has been appointed by Pope Francis in his desire for more transparency and efficiency in the Vatican financial affairs.

Indigenous Australians and the constitution iberal Senator Cory Bernardi has been said, adding that the debate required leadL branded “ignorant” by the Opposition ership and for all sides of the Parliament and cautioned by one of his own colleagues, to work together.

after speaking out against the referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians. Prime Minister Tony Abbott took the prospect of a referendum to the last election and has previously endorsed May 2017 for the vote. A draft question has not yet been finalised. Senator Bernardi has raised concerns that constitutional changes based on race will be divisive, and said he is prepared to trigger the “no” campaign in Parliament if he is not satisfied with the final wording. of the question. But Aboriginal Labor Senator Nova Peris said the referendum deals with a “wrong history that needs to be made right”. She questioned why Senator Bernardi would try to “derail” the positive campaign for recognition. “I find his comments ignorant,” she said. Senator Peris said the referendum is far from being a divisive issue and is designed to bring together the Indigenous and nonIndigenous elements of the nation's history. “What we are trying to do is make Australia inclusive of the entire history,” she

“We've got multi-partisan support on this so Senator Bernardi is going against the grain of the goodwill of his party,” she said.

Cardinal George Pell

The power of the mining industry The Federal Government has ruled out holding an inquiry into the iron ore sector. The Government had been considering a parliamentary inquiry to examine claims by the Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) that the big miners, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, are deliberately ramping up iron ore production to drive down prices. Treasurer Joe Hockey released a two-line statement saying it would not be going ahead. Independent senator Nick Xenophon criticised the Government's decision, saying the inquiry has been “killed off by a shock and awe campaign by key elements of the mining industry”. “The fact that the PM and the Treasurer were initially supportive of an inquiry by both houses of Parliament and have now backed away, is indicative, yet again, of the enormous and disproportionate power of the mining lobby,” he said. “The iron ore giants have now succeeded in censoring the Government and the Parliament from having an inquiry into issues that are clearly in the national interest,” he said.

MICHELLE ROWLAND MP FEDERAL MEMBER FOR GREENWAY Proudly serving the areas of: Acacia Gardens, Blacktown*, Girraween, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley, Kings Park, Lalor Park, Parklea, Pendle Hill, Prospect*, Quakers Hill*, Riverstone, Rouse Hill*, Schofields, Seven Hills, Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds, Toongabbie*, Vineyard *Parts of

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18 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Gozo’s Il-Banda tad-Dudi...

the first little orchestra in the Maltese Islands?

he importance of music and conT certs has developed in Malta and Gozo over the years and several local

The four musicians who formed part of the first orchestra with their string instruments

bands are producing very good music and putting on great concerts! Apart from local bands and singers, Malta also hosts several international artists each year performing fantastic gigs. For a number of years artists from Malta dominated the Gozo music scene. But of late, musicians and singers from Malta’s sister island have been given the chance to perform and have been able to do so quite successfully. That music is one of the pillars of culture is a fact and the two band clubs in Victoria, La Stella and Leon, have for years been on the forefront in encouraging the Gozitans to nurture their talent. Most recently both clubs also amalgamated their efforts to promote one of the best-organised events on the island. This must have prompted one of our readers, Lawrence Muscat to send us a copy of a photo he came across recently that comes from quite a number of years back. We don’t have the date other than it was founded at the start of the 17th century. Even more interesting was the caption. It reads that the four musicians, pictured at the feast of the village of Santa Lucija in Gozo formed the first orkestrina (little orchestra)

in the Maltese islands. It was also known to have been the first strong band on the Maltese islands. It was known as, Il-Banda tad-Dudi. Santa Lucija lies to the west of Malta’s sister island, Gozo, some 2.25 km from Rabat (Victoria). Further research indicates that the band owes its name to the nickname given to a family that used to live in the main square of the village of Santa Lucija, the Debrincat family. In fact Id-Dudi was the nickname of a member of that family, Guzeppi, who also used to form part of the band and played the violin. The “orchestra” was normally made up of five musicians from the same village. Their musical instruments were three violins, the bass (also known as contrabass). Sometimes, as a band they also added the cymbal. It was kept alive thanks to the efforts of the Debrincat family and became very popular at special occasions in the village. It was also popular with British expats who gave it the English name of ‘The Gozo Quadretto’. The last time it is known to have played in a public function was in 1925 at the ordination feast of a priest by the name of Dun Frangisk Spiteri. After that it was disbanded.

Il-Klikka ta Sydney 20 sena wara

emg˙a ta’ anzjani Maltin bi ˙biberija li kellha l-bidu tag˙ha fi Ωmien ‘ir-renju’ tal-klabb tal-futbol il-Melita Eagles fl-1960, g˙adhom jiltaqg˙u darba fixxahar f’˙anut Ωg˙ir Malti f'Surry Hills, biex jg˙addu sieg˙a Ωmien, jieklu ftit pastizzi u jixorbu xi flixkun mixxarba tradizzjonali Maltija waqt li jiddiskutu limg˙oddi u l-problemi tad-dinja. Dawn ix-xju˙, imma Ωg˙aΩag˙ fl-ispirtu, li bejniethom g˙andhom esperjenzza ta ‘l fuq minn 600 sena, ja˙sbu li g˙andhom il-˙ila j˙ollu x-xkiel kollu tad-dinja. Din id-darba, ftit tal-jiem ilu re©g˙u

g˙u biss fit-tilar g˙aliex b’differenza missoltu l-ikla kienet fenkata u x-xorb inbid tradizzjonali Malti. Il-˙biberija ta’ dawn lanzjani dehret fit-tbissima li kellhom fuq wiççhom, jew kif qalulna, forsi din kienet l-effett tal-inbid li permezz tieg˙u l-atmosfera f’din il-laqg˙a storika kienet aktar ferri˙ija u sabi˙a mis-soltu.

ltaqg˙u, din id-darba biex jiffeste©©jaw l-20 sena mit-twelid ta din il ˙biberija anzjana Maltija, bid-differenza li din id-darba l-pastizzi baq-

G˙al-laqg˙a tal-klikka attendew dawk li jidhru fir-ritratt (xellug). Jigifieri mdawrin mal-mejda (mix-xellug): Reg Bonnici, Joe Ebejer, Frank Sant, Lino Vella, Charlie Aguis, Paul Sammut, Garry Garabez, Jerry Carabez, Emmanuel Said, Emanuel Camilleri u Joe Busuttil.

The Voice of the Maltese 19

Tuesday May 12, 2015

Drawwiet Maltin

L-Imnarja... il-festa ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl (xellug) u tkompli mat-tradizzjoni bil-wirjiet tal- ˙xejjex u lfrott (ta˙t)

inkejja l-fatt li Malta tista’ titqies b˙ala pajjiΩ modern g˙all-a˙˙ar, jibqa’ l-fatt li mhux biss ma warrbitx iddrawwiet u t-tradizzjonijiet li sawru l-identità kulturali tag˙ha, iΩda aktar ma jmur qed jissa˙˙u, grazzi g˙all-isforz millawstoritajiet biex f’kull ra˙al il-kunsilli lokali j©ibu lir-residenti konxji tag˙hom, b’g˙add ta’ attivitajiet. Fil-biçça ‘l kbira dawn id-drawwiet huma msejsa fuq il-folklor rurali u r-reli©jon, u fejn g˙andha x’taqsam ir-reli©jon dan isir permezz tal-festa tarra˙al li tiççelebra l-qaddis jew qaddisa patruna tar-ra˙al, xi ˙aga li bdie aktar minn ˙ames sekli ilu, matul ir-renju tal-Kavallieri ta' San Ìwann. La ©ejna g˙al dan, ta’ min isemmi wa˙da mill-festi l-aktar popolari u importanti fil-kalendarju kulturali, u çertament fost l-eqdem, ilFesta ta' San Pietru u San Pawl, mag˙rufa wkoll b˙ala l-Imnarja li ti©i mfakkra fid-29 ta’ dan ix-xahar, l-aktar fl-in˙awi msa©©ra talBuskett fejn isiru ukoll wirjiet tal-annimali u prodotti agrikoli. Il-kelma Mnarja ©ejja mill-kelma Latina luminare – mixg˙ela, li fiha, fl-antik, il-Maltin kienu juru l-fer˙ tag˙om billi jqabbdu ˙©ejje© u jixg˙elu x-xemg˙at u l-fjakkli. Hi wkoll tradizzjoni li l-ikla favorita fil-post tal-Buskett lejlet ilfesta tkun tal-fenek imsajjar b'mod tradizzjonali. Issir ukoll l-g˙ana tradizzjonali Maltija.

L-Imnarja L-Imnarja

Il-festa tal-Imnarja Ωviluppat u kibret ˙afna matul issnin u hija wkoll okkaΩjoni mfittxija ˙afna it-turisti. Iljum jibda bil-festi litur©içi fil-Katidral tal-Imdina, biex wara nofsinhar, fi triq ta˙t ir-Rabat li tie˙u lejn is-Si©©iewi, isiru wkoll it-ti©rijiet tal-bhejjem - Ωwiemel u l-˙mir - bir-rebbie˙a jing˙ataw dak mag˙ruf b˙ala palju, speçi ta’ bandiera twila u rqiqa li fl-antik kienet ti©I ppreΩentata lir-rebbie˙a mill-Gran Mastru tal-Ordni. F’G˙awdex il-festa ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl ti©i mfakkra finNadur, filwaqt li jsiru wkoll wirjiet ta’ ˙xejjex fil-©nien tal-Villa Rundle fil-belt Victorja (ir-Rabat). Interessanti ˙afna wkoll il-fatt li anke g˙aqdiet Maltin fl-Awstralja u f’pajjii o˙ra fejn hemm g˙add Maltin interessati li jΩommu ˙ajjin it-radizzjonijiet Maltin ifakkru l-festa.

Biex tikteb Malti tajjeb L-AÌÌETTIV 1. L-A©©ettiv hija kelma li turi lkwalita` jew l-istat tan-nom. EΩ.: ra©el qasir (kwalita`) mara marida (stat) 2. L-A©©ettiv imnissel jista’ jkun: a) Denominattiv jew ©ej minn nom. EΩ.: kenni minn kenn; qalbieni minn qalb. b) Verbali jew ©ej minn verb. EΩ.: ˙anin minn ˙enn; ©ellied minn ©lied. ç) Parteçipali jew ©ej minn Partiçipju. EΩ.: ilma qieg˙ed (mill-partiçipju tal-verb qag˙ad) bieb mag˙luq (mill-partiçipju tal-verb g˙alaq). 3. L-A©©ettiv isir biΩ-Ωieda ta’: a) i f’tarf ilkelma. EΩ.: tafal + i = tafli; qarg˙a + i = qarg˙i b) an/ani jew ien/ieni. EΩ.: xorob + an = xurban; qalb + ieni = qalbieni. ç) jje f’nofs il-kelma. EΩ.: miet + jje = mejjet. 4. L-A©©ettiv jista’ jkun ta’: a) Ìens: Maskil jew Femminil. EΩ.: ©did (maskil); ©dida (femminil) b) G˙add: Singular jew Plural.

RiΩultat tal-eΩerçizzju tal-a˙˙ar ˙ar©a dwar l-g˙ u l-h

EΩ.: fqir (singular); fqar (plural). 5. Biex tag˙mel il-Femminil tal-A©©ettiv Ωid: a) a f’tarf il-maskil li jispiçça b’Konsonanti: EΩ.: qadim + a = qadima; s˙i˙ + a = s˙i˙a. b) ja f’tarf il-maskil li jispiçça b’Vokali: kenni + ja = kennija; safi + ja = safja. 6. L-A©©ettiv g˙andu tliet Gradi li bihom inqabblu lkwalita` ta’ persuna jew ˙a©a ma’ dik ta’ o˙ra. Il-Gradi huma: a) Posittiv (wa˙du). EΩ.: twil, ˙afif, kbir. b) Komparativ (bejn tnejn). EΩ.: itwal, e˙fef, akbar. ç) Superlativ (bejn iΩjed minn 2) EΩ.: l-itwal, l-e˙fef, l-akbar. 7. a) Minn dan naraw illi l-Komparativ dejjem jibda b’vokali u s-Superlativ isir billi nΩidu l-artiklu mal-Komparativ. EΩ: Sabi˙ = (Positiv); ısba˙ = (Komparativ); l-isba˙ = Superlativ). b) Dan jista’ jsir ukoll biΩ-Ωieda ta: aktar jew iΩjed; l-aktar jew l-iΩjed. EΩ.: aktar famuΩ (Komparativ); l-aktar famuΩ (Superlativ).

xhud, deheb, log˙ba, iblah, g˙ada, g˙arqa, kollha, g˙ar, hawn, koroh, xhur, tebg˙a, Dg˙ajsa, nhar, deHra, qlug˙, Ωg˙ir, sahra, uçuh, Ωag˙g˙ali, herra, g˙adu, kerha, Ωug˙, fih

Tg˙allem ikteb

20 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Community News Maltese Association – Hobsons Bay Inc.

La Valette Social Centre Il-Festa tal-Imnarja

NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

21-31 Collins Avenue, Altona East, Victoria 3025 Tel: (03) 9391 – 7359 Fax: (03) 9391 - 7359

175, Walter Road Blacktown NSW

Il-Maltese Association Hobsons Bay Inc. se jg˙addu tmiem il-©img˙a f’Mulwala, NSW. Tluq miç-çentru f’21, Collins Ave. Altona East nhar is-Sibt 4 ta’ Lulju fis-7.00 a.m. G˙al aktar tag˙rif wie˙ed g˙andu jçempel lil Joe fuq: 0400357001, jew lil Carmen: 0413 386 714

Is-Sibt 27 ta’ Ìunju: 8.00pm: L-g˙ana tas-soltu. D˙ul ming˙ajr ˙las. G˙al kull, tag˙rif çemplu 9622 5847 Ikun hemm entertainment trailer ghat-tfal. Ejjew u ©ibu lit-tfal maghkom. Il-Óadd 28 ta’ Ìunju: Fil-11 a.m: Il-festa tal-Imnarja tibda b’quddiesa. Wara jkun hemm wirjiet ta’ ˙axix, frott, tjur u affarijiet o˙ra. Ikun hemm ukoll jumping castle g˙at-tfal, g˙ana ma’ Saver u s˙abu, daqq u Ωfin minn Sam Mifsud. Tie˙u sehem ukoll il-Banda OLQOP. Ikel fil-kçina jinkludi fniek u ikel ie˙or. Dawk li jkunu jridu jie˙du xi affarijiet g˙all-wirja jçemplu mill-aktar fis fuq: 9622 5847 jew lil Joe Abela: 0425 206 472 Follow The Voice of the Maltese online magazine every fortnight and also join us on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceofthemaltese

G˙all-attenzjoni ta’ min irid jag˙mel uΩu misservizz tal-magazine

Trid tirreklama? Il-komunitajiet Maltin fl-Awstralja li jkollhom il˙sieb li jorganizzaw xi attivita` u jkunu jixtiequ li jg˙arrfu biha lill-qarrejja ta’ The Voice of the Maltese permezz ta’ reklam, huma m˙e©©a biex jibag˙tu t-tag˙rif dwarha lil: maltesevoice@gmail.com kmieni kemm jista’ jkun u sa mill-inqas ©img˙a qabel tkun se ssir l-attivita` ˙alli jing˙ataw il-pubbliçita’ li jixtiequ fil-˙in u ma jo˙or©ux diΩappuntati

Tinteressak il-kitba?

Id-direzzjoni ta’ The Voice t˙e©©e© lill-qarrejja li j˙ossu li jew g˙andhom talent g˙allkitba, l-aktar bl-Ilsien Malti, imma mhux biss, inkella li ja˙sbu li bi ftit g˙ajnuna jistg˙u ˙alli jekk u meta iridu, jew jitolbu l-g˙ajnuna tag˙na, inkella sempliçement jibag˙tu x-xog˙ol tag˙hom lil: The Voice of the Maltese biex narawh. Email address: maltesevoice@gmail.com Lesti nippublikaw il-kitbiet tag˙kom. Jekk ghandek xi ˙bieb li g˙ad mhumiex jirçevu The Voice of the Maltese u ta˙seb li jkun jinteressahom, ibghatilna l-email address tag˙hom ˙alli nibag˙tuhulhom

Fuq Radju Malta (www.pbs.com.mt) kull nhar ta’ Ìimg˙a fis-2.30 p.m. TippreΩenta Josephine Zammit Cordina

MALTESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL OF NSW

A Division of the Maltese Community Council of NSW Inc.

Learn Maltese!

Classes are available for students from 6 years to adults at all levels of ability in the Maltese language. We have trained and experienced teachers qualified in language teaching and with Maltese study credentials. Learn the Maltese language, the culture, lifestyle, cuisine, traditions and about the amazing history of the island. Classes at: HORSLEY PARK - SEVEN HILLS - LUDDENHAM For more information and enquiries Call Mary on 9601 2189 Or email: malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com Supported by the Minister of Education and Training and the NSW Community Languages Schools Programme. Member of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools of NSW; Member of the Federation of Maltese Language Schools of Australia; Supported by 16 Maltese associations affiliated with the MCC of NSW. The Maltese Language School of NSW is a Not-For-Profit organisation.

One good turn deserves another Kull qalb trid o˙ra

edication we have lots of; when it comes to time, we find it as when dedicatiing oneself to a cause, it’s there. A third ingredient needed to produce an online magazine such as The Voice of the Maltese is financial. To offset that, of late, the production team has been seeking sponsors to help us share that burden with us. Some have responded positively by advertising the services they offer to their clients on our publication. There is need for more, but at least it’s a start. We call upon others to follow them. One good turn deserves another; therefore in return, our readers too have a part to play. They are therefore urged to use the services and buy products of those sponsoring The Voice of the Maltese.

iex tipproduçi magazine b˙al dan, li wara kollox hu B frott tal-passjoni li g˙andna biex inwasslu t-tag˙rif lill-Maltin barra minn art twelidhom, ma jin˙tie©x biss

xog˙ol u ˙in, imma wkoll spejjeΩ. Biex jittaffew u˙ud mill-ispejjeΩ nippruvaw insibu sponsors ˙alli jg˙inuna. G˙ad m’g˙andniex biΩΩejjed minnhom, imma bdejna, u ta’ min jag˙tihom ˙ajr. Kull qalb trid o˙ra, g˙alhekk in˙e©©u lill-qarrejja biex i©ibu dan quddiem g˙ajnejhom u kemm jista’ jkun juΩaw is-servizzi u/jew jixtru l-prodotti ta’ dawk li qed jirreklamaw/jisponsorjaw fil-magazine.

The Voice of the Maltese 21

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Community News GEORGE CROSS FALCONS CLUB Inc.

SAINT NICHOLAS FESTA COMMITTEE

(25-27 Lake Ave Cringila NSW 2502, (02) 4273 0906 gcfc@exemail.com.au)

Presents......

The Feast of Saints Peter & Paul (Festa L’Imnarja and Lejla fil-Buskett)

Seniors’ Day Every Monday

Home-made cooked two-course meal, tea and coffee Bingo and dancing lessons Computers available for usage.

On Sunday July 5 at the Good Shepherd Parish Hall 130-136 Hyatts Rd Plumpton Starting with Classic Cars and Bikes at 12.00 Noon 1.30pm till 6.00pm: Entertainment, Arts & Crafts and Agriculture Displays There will also be music & singing featuring Ron Borg, Joe Xuereb & Tony Fenech

Cost only $5.00. Sponsored by MCCI Illawarra. Phone 42 746121 and leave a message

St Helena Maltese/Aust. SC Programme for the rest of 2015

Refreshments of Maltese foods and drink, tea & coffee will be available. ENTRANCE IS FREE - ALL UNDER COVER EVERYONE WELCOME For more information please ring: Vice President: Charlie Gatt - 9671 3919 or Public Relations Officer: Joe Fenech - 96280481

Other activities this year: Sunday July 5: Lejla fil-Buskett ; Sunday October 18: Spring Fiera; Sunday December 6: Feast of St Nicholas For further information call Bill Schembri: 0416 261 415.

JUNE 20: (Saturday): Function at Albion JULY 18: (Saturday): Function at Albion AUGUST 21: (Friday): Feast Mass at Ardeer AUGUST 22: (Saturday): Feast dinner dance at Melrose AUGUST 23: (Sunday): 35th Anniversary feast at Ardeer SEPTEMBER 19: (Saturday): Functioin at Albion OCTOBER 24: (Saturday): Function at Parkville OCTOBER 25: (Sunday): AGM meet at Parkville NOVEMBER 14: (Saturday): Function at Holy Eucharist DECEMBER 19: (Saturday): Xmas function at Melrose. (For bookings or more information phone Victor: 0412 99 13 25)

UTS Sydney - Free English classes As part of its Teachers Training for 2015, the University of Technology (UTS) Sydney - Insearch is offering free English classes designed to improve one’s speaking and listening skills. Following is the programme for this year: July 6 - July 31 (1.30pm to 3.30 pm Monday to Friday) August 11 - October 15 (6.00p.m8.00pm Tuesday & Thursday evening) October 20 -December 23 (6.00pm8.00pm Tuesday & Thursday evening) If interested call 92188646, fax 92114334 or email: david.noble@insearch.edu.au Student Centre, Ground Floor, 187 Thomas Street Sydney NSW 2000 (corner Quay & Thomas Street Chinatown). Students must be at least 16 years old

FRIENDS OF PROVIDENCE HOUSE NSW (Formed in November 2011) ANNOUNCES:

18 Day Fly – Cruise – Stay – Tour Commencing September 19, 2015 Visiting Perth – Bali – Thailand – Malaysia – Singapore. Fantastic Tour – Great value – All inclusive from $3650 p/p Proceeds to be donated to Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Malta. For brochure or bookings call Jim Borg on (02) 9636 7767. Note: Donations to Id-Dar tal-Providenza can now be made in Australia at any Commonwealth Bank. A/C Name: Friends of Providence House NSW BSB: 062 416 A/C No. 10199448 This will save you the normal bank fees. Please supply name and address so an acknowledgement can be issued. Proudly supported by: Cnr Main & Campbell Sts, Blacktown. Contact George Vella Tel (02) 9622 7799

22 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Community News Tune In to Radio and Television

Maltese Radio Programmes MELBOURNE, on 3ZZZ 92.3FM or on www.3zzz.com.au. Mondays 5pm, Fridays 5pm, Saturdays 10am.; Last Wednesday each month at 1pm. MELBOURNE on 98.9 North West FM, each Friday 6.00 - 7.00p.m. Presenter Emmanuel Brincat. MELBOURNE: STEREO 974 (93180930): 97.4FM Wed (Maltese Magazine) & Thursday (Merhba): 6.00pm to 8.00 pm Co-ordinator – Ray Anastasi In SYDNEY, listen to the MCC radio programme Sunday at 11am 2GLF FM 89.3, or

on demand: www.893fm.com.au

In BRISBANE listen to the Maltese Program on 4EB on Tuesdays 6.00 -8.15am; Sundays 4.15pm to 5.15pm UNCLE SAM DJ (Maltese Radio) tune in to link: www.unclesamdj.com

Maltese Programmes on TV and Web

Isma’ l-programm tar-radju bil-Malti mill-Kunsill Malti ta’ NSW minn fuq l-istazzjon 2GLF 89.3FM. Jista’ wkoll jinstema’ On Demand minn fuq l-Internet www.893fm.com.au (On Demand >Ethnic >Maltese Council 11am) Fi programm ta’ sieg˙a nhar ta’ Óadd fil-11.00 ikun fih l-a˙˙ar a˙barijiet minn Malta, muΩika, tag˙rif, kultura, avviΩi u su©©etti ta’ interess g˙allMaltin On SBS Radio - Day Time Analogue Digital Tuesday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3 Thursday: 12:00-13:00 SBS Radio 3 Friday: 12:00-13:00 97.7fm SBS Radio 2 Saturday: 14:00-15:00: 97.7fm SBS Radio 2 To tune into digital radio you need receiver or device with a DAB+ chip. Tuning in is by station name not frequency. Digital radio can also be heard on digital TV. SBS Radio 2 is on Channel 38 and SBS. Radio 3 is on Channel 39. Analogue is the present FMwavelength. Digital radio can also be accessed by a smart phone and/or by going online at HYPERLINK: http://www.sbs.com.au, www.sbs.com.au

The GDAY MALTAUSSIE SHOW on TVS is broadcast in Sydney Every Saturday at 2pm. Repeats on Mondays 5 pm and Tuesdays 7.30 am Watch direct via HYPERLINK:

VIVA MALTA VIVA MALTA on Central Coast Radio: on June: 18th - from 6 pm -7 pm on COAST FM 96.3 Community Radio in Gosford NSW. Presenter: Nathalie Gatt. Web streaming on: www.coastfm.org.au. http://ww.tvs.org.au; http://ww.tvs.org.au L-A˙barijiet on SBS TV twice a week nationwide Sunday at 8.00 am on SBS2 (Chan. 32); Thursdays at 8.05 am on SBS2

The SBS MALTESE NEWS

Meetings of Day Care Maltese Groups in NSW Fairfield Active Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Tuesday of the Month from10:00am to 12 noon. The group meets in the Parish Hall, cnr of Stella Street & The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights.

Maltese Seniors Central Coast Group Meetings for Maltese living at the Central Coast: are held every second Monday of each month from 10 am to 12 at Wyong RSL, cnr Anzac & Margaret Street Wyong. For more information Tel: 02 439 000 12 or 0414 267 652

Malta Society of New Zealand

We now have a Facebook page that former members are invited to join. It is: Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland: https://www.facebook.com/pages /Mainly-Maltese-in-Auckland/ 396193070527203?ref=hl. It is open to all who have an interest in the Maltese culture.

The Maltese Language School of NSW

The Maltese Language School of NSW invites applications for Maltese language classes at the Alfred Fenech Maltese Resource Centre located at 59b Franklin Street (corner with Young Street) Mays Hill (next to Parramatta West Public School). Both young and adult students may apply. For more information contact Mary Pace-Feraud on 9601 2189 or email: malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com

L-ahbarijiet tal-PBS (Malta)

G˙alkemm il-PBS ta’ Malta tforni lillSBS fl-Awstralja bis-servizz tag˙ha, ilqarrejja m˙e©©a li x’˙in iridu jid˙lu fil-website: www.tvm.com.mt u jsegwu la˙barijiet ta’ Malta. Din tkun a©©ornata l-˙in kollu bi stejjer li jkunu qed ise˙˙u. Mhux biss, imma min irid isegwi dak li jkun g˙addej, kull filg˙odu ˙in ta' Malta fuq il-website jittellg˙u wkoll l-a˙barijiet tal-jum ta' qabel.

Daceyville Maltese Seniors

Greystanes Maltese Seniors

Meets on the last Wednesday of the month in the Meeting Room One, No. 3 General Bridges Crescent, Daceyville. Note: The Groups also arrange regular Bus Trips Come and join us and make new friends.

Meets on the second Monday of the month n the George Preca Centre of OLQP Church, 198 Old Prospect Road, Greystanes from 10 am to 12 noon

Merrylands Social Maltese Seniors Meets every second Friday of the month; Miller Room, Memorial Avenue Merrylands from 10.30am to 12.30 am

Llandillo Maltese Seniors Meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Llandilo Community Hall, Seventh Avenue, from 11am to 1pm.

The Sutherland & St George Maltese Group Ongoing: We meet every First Wednesday of the Month from 10:00am-1:00pm Our Meetings/Get Togethers are interesting, informative & entertaining. Come Join us and make new Friends For more information contact our Coordinator: Charles Mifsud J.P.Phone (02) 9501 5525 – mobile 0421 662 298.

*(All Groups are Sponsored by The Maltese Community Council of NSW). Please contact the MCC Welfare Officer: Marisa Previtera JP on 0414 863 123. The MCC offices are at 59b Franklin Street Mays Hill NSW (next to West Parramatta Primary School)

The Voice of the Maltese 23

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Sports 1 Football: PS4 NPL 1 NSW

Parramatta beat Olympic to climb two places in ladder

arramatta (formerly Melita Eagles) made it four matches undefeated and even recorded their third clean sheet in succession after defying the odds by defeating Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sports Ground by 1-0. Victory also helped Parramatta leapfrog over two teams in the league ladder and they are now ninth (with 12 points from 12 matches) and with a game in hand. Parramatta shocked the Olympic with a goal from a freekick by Juan Chavez that took a slight deflection off Olympic’s defensive barrier on 53 minutes. It threw the few travelling fans into delirium, screaming for joy when they saw the ball hit the net for a deserved victory. The Eagles dominated for most of the match with possession football, particularly in the second half. They also defended stoutly throughout and victory was most deserving. The last time the two teams met before Sunday, Sydney won with four clear goals. But this win has shown that Parramatta have made great improvement and hopefully they will repeat such performances for the Kevin Muscat (left) riles Zinedine Zidane who took exception to Kevin’s tackle on Dugarry during the 2001 friendly international between Australia and France rest of the league campaign. Results Round 12 Round 13 0-0 Sydney O. v Parramatta FC 0-1 Parramatta FC v Marconi S. 2-5 Sutherland S. v Sydney U 3-1 Blacktown S v Sutherland S. 2-1 Manly U v APIA 1-2 Brownrigg v Manly U. 1-6 Rockdale CS v Blacktown S 0-1 Sydney U v Blacktown C 4-3 Blacktown C v South Coast 4-0 APIA v Rockdale CS *from page 24 1-1 Marconi S. v Brownrigg 1-2 South Coast v Sydney O.

Kevin Muscat: A leader and a manager

PS4N PL2 NSW Round 12 Mounties W v Mt Druitt TR

1-3

Round 11 Spirit FC v Mounties W

2-0

Maltese-Australian Moore, Wingfield win Malta’s gold at 2015 Small Nations Games

evin Moore, a Maltese-AusK tralian, and female athlete Charlotte Wingfield (pictured

right) were Malta’s best competitors at 16th edition Games of Small States of Europe (GSSE), Iceland 2015 just ended. They won Malta’s only gold, two each, in athletics as the medals haul topped the 31-mark. The tally also included nine silver and 18 bronze. The medals’ total of medals won by the 58-strong Malta contingent in the six-day event in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, placed Malta seventh from nine nations. It was the best total in the last four editions of these Games. Moore won the 400m and 200m sprint on the final day of the event that wrapped up on Saturday. Charlotte won her gold in the 100m and 200m sprint. Malta took part in nine different

sports disciplines, namely, Athletics, Basketball (women’s), Beach Volley, Golf, Judo, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis and Tennis. Eight of the overall total of medals were won in athletics. The rest were won in Swimming and Judo (5 each), gymnastics (4), table tennis and tennis (3 each), shooting (1), basketball (1), and Golf (1). The next GSSE Games will be held in two years’ time in San Marino.

Kevin Muscat admits that at first he had questioned whether he had what it takes to be a coach, but the past season has shown that he has grown into his role as leader and manager. The perception that Victory were still Postecoglou’s team has finally be laid to rest. During his international career, Muscat represented the Australia U-20 side at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship and the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia. He also played for Australia U-23 at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He made his full international debut for Australia in September 1994 against Kuwait, and also represented the national side at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2000 OFC Nations Cup, 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. On a particular occasion while playing for the Australian national football team in a friendly match against France at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2001, Kevin clashed with French international Dugarry. Muscat’s tackle on the Frenchman sparked an all-in scuffle. As a result, Zinedine Zidane, at the time the world’s most expensive midfieleder following his £stg45.8m transfer from Juventus to Real Madird, got riled and delivered a tirade at Kevin. Dugarry was ruled out for three months and Bordeaux owner Nicolas de Tavernost demanded compensation from Soccer Australia. After the match that ended 1-1, Muscat was reported saying that his tackle was not made with any malice or intent to cause injury. “The momentum of the tackle and the weather conditions contributed to the injury sustained by Dugarry,” he said. Dugarry retired four years later, in 2005, presumably with a sore knee.

24 The Voice of the Maltese

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Sports 2

Kevin Muscat: the “hard man” of football now hailed a hero D

uring his career as a professional footballer, Kevin Muscat, the head coach of Melbourne Victory, was at times described as “one of the most hated footballers on the field. His aggression and passion occasionally boiled over into some violent incidents, earning him a reputation as a "hard man". But as coach, after guiding Victory to an A-League premiership-championship double in his first full season in charge he seems to have earned himself a reprieve As a footballer, Kevin’s reputation followed him wherever he played. Born in Crawley, Sussex in the UK, during a professional career that spanned 19 years from 1992 to 2011, he particularly endured a horrific reputation in England, where he spent 10 years plying his trade. In eight-and-ahalf seasons playing for Crystal Palace, Wolves, Glasgow Rangers and Millwall, he was sent off seven times and collected countless bookings. Now for his achievement with Melbourne Victory he is being hailed a hero. Many football supporters in Australia, particularly Maltese-Australians have followed very closely Kevin’s career, particularly because of his Maltese background - he is of Maltese descent - and because he embarked on his professional career as a footballer in the Australian National Soccer League with ‘Maltese-Australian’ club, Sunshine George Cross in the 1989/90 season. After that he jumped at the chance of proceeding his professional, albeit controversial career in the United Kingdom with Sheffield United in 1995-96 and later with

Crystal Palace, where he was in the team that subsequently won promotion to the English Premier League. He only played nine matches for them before being transferred to Wolves for £200,000 in October 1997 to play at Molineux for five seasons.. He also played for Glasgow Rangers, in Scotland, a club he joined on a free transfer in July 2002. He was part of the squad that won a treble of domestic trophies in 2002-03. After that, for two seasons, between 2003 and 2005 he played for his final British club, Millwall and in 2004, captained them to their only ever FA Cup Final appearance. Muscat was dubbed the "most hated man in football" by then Birmingham City player Martin Grainger in 2000 after a reckless tackle against international teammate, Stan Lazaridis. His playing days in the UK were replete with red cards, suspensions and fines. He also paid the price for his physical approach to the game in 2004 when he agreed to a $606,000 settlement outside London's High Court Kevin Muscat poses with after facing parents David and Laura legal action by former Charlton player Matty Holmes who had sued for almost $6.06 million in damages for assault and battery, as well as lost earnings as a result of a Muscat tackle, which he claimed ended his career. Muscat returned to Australia to b e c o m e Melbourne Victory's

Kevin Muscat, led Melbourne Victory to the championship in his first full season as coach captain in the inaugural season of the Aleague, in 2005-06. For all his bad reputation, he was also hailed as a seasoned and adaptable pro, having played all across the back four for club and country, and his leadership qualities were praised by almost all of his managers. He retired from professional football in 2011 after Melbourne Victory's 2011 AFC Champions League campaign, citing his growing frustration at his inability to keep pace with the game. In June that same year he was reconfirmed as assistant coach. His decision to finish his career was fasttracked by the now "infamous" tackle he committed on another footballer of Maltese descent, Adrian Zahra in the Melbourne. The tackle was widely condemned in Australia and around the world, with the press describing it as one of the worst tackles in football history. He was banned for eight matches and proved to be the end for him in the ALeague. During his professional career as a footballer Muscat received 123 yellow cards and 12 red cards. When Ange Postecoglou left Victory to coach Australia, on October 31, 2013, three games into the 2013-14 season, Muscat was subsequently appointed as Postecoglou's successor. He signed a two-year contract. In his first full season as Melbourne Victory manager, the Victory finished with a regular season record of 15 wins 8 draws and 4 losses, with a final points tally of 53 points, three points ahead of second placed Sydney FC and a final goal difference of +25, the highest of any club that season. *Continued on page 23